More Than Four Hundred Stranded Tourists Safely Evacuated From North Sikkim

Wepen, June 20, 2019: The well coordinated efforts of the Indian Army, district administration, police, Indo Tibet Border Police, GREF and the local residents resulted in the successful evacuation of 427 tourists from Lachen in North Sikkim on Thursday.

With vehicular communications being cut off in parts of North Sikkim owing to multiple landslides triggered by incessant rains for the past few days, the tourists were stranded.

As it will still take three to four days for the landslides to be cleared and roads to open up to vehicular traffic the stranded tourists had to be evacuated by transshipment (they had to cross the slides on foot and then continued the forward journey by vehicles.)

At around 11 am under the strict vigil of the army, police, district administration and local residents the stranded tourists started crossing the Chaten and Bonsoi stretch over the slides. In the past two days

In the past two days the district administration aided by other agencies had successfully removed debris and created walkable paths that were used for the evacuation.

The tourists were provided tea, snacks and juice at Bonsoi bridge and lunch at Chungthang. The local Gurudwara had provided the lunch free of cost to all.

Government and Army vehicles along with taxis were used to transport the tourists to Chungthang and from there by Sikkim National Transport buses to Gangtok. Travel and food was provided absolutely free of cost till Gangtok.

Incidentally the Travel Agents Association of Sikkim had provided free lodge and food to the stranded tourists in Lachen from the day landslides occurred and Lachen was cut off.

“I had come here to see Lachen and Lachung. When we were going to Lachung there was a huge landslide. Owing to the army, police, district administration and local residents we have been evacuated safely in three day. When we saw the landslide we had thought that it would take months. We are grateful to all for their immense help and support” stated a tourist.

Kantilal Singhal was overjoyed as he got into a waiting vehicle to be ferried to Gangtok “18 of us had come from Gujarat in a group and had got stuck in Lachen owing to the slides.  The district administration, police, army and local people helped us so much they are like Gods for us” added Singhal.

As per the district administration the road status of the North District on Thursday improved considerably. Road connectivity was clear from Mangan to Chungthang; Chungthang to Lachung (Yumthang road;) Yumthang to Yumeysamdong; Mangan to Gangtok (via Kabi) and Mangan to Dikchu. However the stretch from Chungthang to Lachen was blocked at Munshithang and several other places owing to landslides.

Power supply to Chungthang and Lachung had been restored on Wednesday night. However it will take time to restore power supply at Lachen stated officials.

Tourist passes are being issued for Lachung only in North district. Lachen and Dzongu are still not permitted.

On June 17 a cloudburst was reported in upstream Chungthang in North Sikkim. Logs, debris and muddy water clogged the Teesta Stage 5 dam at Dikchu after which residents of Singtam and Rangpo towns in the East District of Sikkim living on the river banks were shifted to safer grounds. An alert had been sounded.

The situation has improved considerably with the water level having receded.

Source And courtesy: http://www.wepen.in/more-than-four-hundred-stranded-tourists-safely-evacuated-from-north-sikkim/